In a remarkable turn of events, the Los Angeles Chargers executed a play that hasn’t been successfully performed in nearly five decades. On Thursday night, during a game against the Denver Broncos, kicker Cameron Dicker made an NFL first since 1976 by scoring a fair-catch kick, a seldom-used but legitimate scoring opportunity.
The fair-catch kick is one of football’s less known regulations, yet Chargers’ head coach Jim Harbaugh has a particular fondness for this rule. On this occasion, Harbaugh seized the chance to utilize it for only the second time in his career, a decision that paid off when Dicker successfully executed the 57-yard kick just before halftime. ‘I’ve been trying to get one of those every game. Cam Dicker stepped up and made it. It was huge and got the momentum back,’ Harbaugh noted.
This kick served as a pivotal moment for the Chargers, sparking a comeback that helped them secure a 34-27 victory over the Broncos. The rules allow a team that has completed a fair catch to attempt a free kick for a field goal, during which the opposition must remain 10 yards away. Such a situation rarely arises due to the specific conditions needed to make this play feasible. Before Dicker’s accomplishment, Ray Wersching was the last to make such a kick, 48 years ago, for the then San Diego Chargers.
Cameron Dicker expressed his excitement about the rare occasion, saying, ‘It’s cool. I didn’t know that was the case. It was fun to go out there. It was fun to be in that scenario.’ The opportunity emerged from a penalty on Denver’s Tremon Smith, who committed fair-catch interference on what would have otherwise been the final play of the first half. This penalty moved the Chargers to the Denver 47-yard line, setting the stage for the historic kick.
Harbaugh’s decision was not made lightly, and special teams coach Ryan Ficken’s regular reviews of the play during the season proved beneficial. ‘Looking over at (Denver’s) sideline, it was funny. They were confused what was going on. We talk about it every week, so it was normal for us,’ Dicker mentioned, highlighting the team’s preparedness.
While the Broncos were aware of the fair-catch kick rule, disappointment lingered as they fell victim to its rare implementation. Denver receiver Marvin Mims noted, ‘It’s something we talk about in our special teams group, and it’s one of those situations you go through in training camp. So we all knew what was going to happen, and they executed to perfection.’
Dicker’s kick is now the longest fair-catch kick in NFL history, surpassing Paul Hornung’s 52-yard record set in 1964. The Chargers capitalized on the penalty-induced opportunity, demonstrating strategic execution on a seldom-seen play. Meanwhile, other teams have attempted similar kicks, but none have succeeded in recent years. Harbaugh reflected on past attempts with his previous team, the San Francisco 49ers, noting a near-success with a 71-yard attempt.
The rarity of the play lies in the positioning required for the fair-catch kick to be viable. Had it not been for Smith’s penalty, the Chargers would have been out of field-goal range. Harbaugh and his special teams’ foresight turned a potential setback into a tactical advantage, providing a boost to the team’s morale.
The significance of this play wasn’t lost on the Chargers, with edge rusher Joey Bosa commenting, ‘I was definitely confused. I was ready to get in the locker room, but I’m happy we had a shot. I was just joking that you can play for 20 years and still have no idea what’s going on on the field. So it was a good moment. It was an important swing in momentum.’
Previously, the most recent fair-catch kick attempt was in 2019 by Carolina’s Joey Slye, which was unsuccessful. Harbaugh’s strategic pause to reassess and take advantage of the circumstances highlights the importance of awareness and adaptability in NFL play-calling. Denver’s coach Sean Payton reflected on the event: ‘It doesn’t happen much. We practice it all the time. In that situation, the penalty put them in field goal position, so it’s disappointing.’
The Los Angeles Chargers’ successful fair-catch kick represents a significant achievement within the NFL, showcasing the intricate and often overlooked rules of the game. Cameron Dicker’s accomplishment not only aided in the team’s victory but also highlighted the importance of tactical awareness and preparation. As such feats are rare, they emphasize the unpredictable and dynamic nature of American football, where strategic insight can make a decisive difference.
Source: Apnews